Latest Stories

State doesn’t want to pay for Galvan’s defense

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The New Mexico Risk Management Division doesn’t want to pay to defend former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Reuben Galvan against a civil lawsuit brought by a woman who alleges he raped her. The agency requested last month that a federal judge declare that Galvan was acting outside the scope of his duties on the night in question and, therefore, it has no duty to defend him or pay if there’s a judgment against him, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News. That could leave Galvan responsible for his own defense and any potential judgment against him. The woman who accused Galvan, 45, of rape and bribery in 2004 filed a lawsuit against him in August. The allegations ended Galvan’s judicial career in 2005 but, after two criminal trials ended with hung juries, prosecutors dropped the charges. Continue Reading

Senate approves Bingaman immigration amendment

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Senators approved today an amendment proposed by Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., that would cut in half the number of temporary guest workers allowed under an immigration proposal they are considering. It’s the first major amendment to the bipartisan proposal by the White House and a number of senators, including Pete Domenici, R-N.M., to reform the nation’s immigration system. The amendment was approved today on a vote of 74-24, so the bill now proposes allowing 200,000 temporary guest workers into the United States each year. The original proposal was to allow 400,000, with the number changing based on demand. Approval of Bingaman’s amendment was expected. Continue Reading

Lyons is the latest to prove the need for ethics reform

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State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons is the latest official to prove that pay-to-play politics – or at least the appearance of such – is a systemic problem in New Mexico that plagues both parties. Before last year’s election, developer Philip Philippou gave $20,500 to a political action committee run by lobbyists he employs. The PAC gave most of it to Lyons’ re-election campaign, and the lobbyists gave another $3,600. Then Lyons bypassed his own bidding process and leased thousands of acres of land in Las Cruces to Philippou before the announced deadline for developers to submit proposals. Since then, Philippou has given another $6,000 to Lyons, who also flew at Philippou’s expense in March to a New Mexico State Aggies’ basketball game in Washington state. Continue Reading

Another poll confirms growing support for Richardson

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Another poll has confirmed Gov. Bill Richardson’s growing popularity in Iowa. Support for Richardson in the first state to hold a presidential nominating contest is at 9 percent, according to conservative polling company Strategic Vision. Richardson isn’t far behind Hillary Clinton, who came in third among Democrats in the poll at 16 percent. The poll, conducted May 18-20, surveyed 600 likely Democratic caucus goers and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. A poll conducted by the Des Moines Register between May 12 and 16 had Richardson at 10 percent. Continue Reading

Conservative blogger to become a weekly columnist on this site, will be balanced by progressive writer

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Since 2005, Whitney Cheshire has been maintaining a blog called The Wednesday Morning Quarterback with which I’m sure many of you are familiar. Since then, the conservative media relations and campaign consultant, who is based in Albuquerque, has provided witty, frank analysis from the right. A week from today, The Wednesday Morning Quarterback is going to join Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics. Cheshire plans to write a weekly column that will run on Wednesdays. Though this site, she’ll continue to bring you news, analysis and a view from the right. Continue Reading

Ethics task force to take on familiar issues, also look at conference committees and election commission

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Gov. Bill Richardson’s reconvened ethics task force met for the first time on Tuesday and came up with familiar topics and new issues to discuss in the coming months. The group’s members decided to examine several issues as they consider what reform proposals to suggest to the governor: campaign finance reform, public financing of campaigns, opening conference committees, creating ethics and election commissions and paying legislators. Last year’s task force tackled campaign finance reform, public financing, the ethics commission and paying lawmakers, but didn’t take up conference committees or an election commission, so those add a new dimension to the debate. The proposal to open conference committees is an annual battle that came within one Senate vote of approval this year. Conference committees are the secret meetings at which members of the House and Senate reconcile differing versions of bills and, sometimes, appropriate money or make other decisions that haven’t been vetted publicly. Continue Reading

Bingaman proposal tackles guest-worker plan

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U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., is proposing an amendment that could shake up the fragile alliance pushing an immigration reform plan in the Senate. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators and the White House announced a compromise proposal on the problem that has angered those on the left and right. You can read the details by clicking here. The Senate began debating the bill on Monday, and is taking on the first of several sticky points today – the creation of a guest-worker program that would bring in at least 400,000 temporary workers to the United States each year. Critics of that proposal, including union groups, say it’s a pro-industry provision that keeps immigrants working for low wages and also keeps down wages for American workers. Continue Reading

New publication covers politics in Santa Fe

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There’s a new publication in New Mexico covering the Legislature and what’s happening in Santa Fe. Capitol Report will be published three times each year, and you can also find it on the Internet at www.capitolreportnm.com. The first issue just came out and is up on the site. It’s published by longtime political watchers and media professionals Jack Swickard and Harold Morgan. I put a link to the site under the “Political blogs and other sites” section in the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Richardson plans to take it easy this week

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After campaigning at a breakneck pace for several weeks, Gov. Bill Richardson will hold a few fundraisers and appear on one television show but will generally slow down this week. A day after formally announcing that he’s running for president, Richardson has no public campaign events scheduled for today, according to a news release from his campaign. On Wednesday, he plans only to hold a fundraiser in the evening in Santa Fe. On Thursday, Richardson will travel to Seattle, Wash., where he’ll raise money in the afternoon and attend private campaign events in the evening. On Friday, his only planned event is an evening fundraiser in Albuquerque, and on Saturday, Richardson plans no public events. Continue Reading

Washington Post profiles Richardson, Iglesias

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The Washington Post has prominent profiles today of New Mexicans Bill Richardson and David Iglesias on its Web site’s home page. The profile of Richardson includes an article about Monday’s formal announcement that he’s running for president, a photo essay of his career and video of the announcement. Check it out by clicking here. The profile of Iglesias, the former U.S. attorney for New Mexico, is a lengthy, personal look at his career and the current controversy surrounding his firing. Check it out by clicking here. Continue Reading

Pearce wants to keep DCCC out of 2008 race

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U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., is trying to raise enough money in the second quarter of 2007 to keep the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee away from his 2008 re-election bid. He sent a letter to potential donors earlier this month asking for contributions before the June 30 deadline for second-quarter fundraising. His goal is to prove that he has strong support and keep the DCCC, the official fundraising arm of House Democrats, from taking an interest in his seat. “They have the funds and power to make a real impact in any race they choose and we need to keep them out of the Second District,” Pearce wrote in the May 9 letter. “They are guaranteed to target us unless we make the hurdle too tall to climb.” You can read Page 1 of the letter by clicking here and Page 2 here. Continue Reading

City council’s development approval was expected

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There was no surprise when the Las Cruces City Council voted early this morning to approve the 6,000-acre Vistas at Presidio. There was a sense of inevitability during the eight-hour meeting that began Monday evening and concluded just after 1 a.m. today as city staffers and a number of councilors spoke at length about the benefits of the project. Ultimately, all but Councilor Ken Miyagishima voted to approve the development, which has the potential to double Las Cruces’ population in the next 20 years. “Whether we approve this annexation or not, the people will move here anyway,” Councilor Dolores Archuleta said before the vote. Though there was some division revealed during the marathon meeting, presenters and members of the public were generally in favor of the development or at least resigned to its approval. Continue Reading

City Council approves The Vistas at Presidio

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The Las Cruces City Council has just approved annexation, master planning and initial zoning for The Vistas at Presidio. There were five different votes on various aspects of the plan, but each was a 6-1 vote with Councilor Ken Miyagishima being the lone opponent of the 6,000-acre development. There were several minor amendments proposed and a couple passed. I’ll have an in-depth article later this morning. Continue Reading

Public getting chance to speak on development

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The meeting of the Las Cruces City Council has moved into public input. Once that’s done, the council will discuss the issue and then vote. The meeting, even through most of the public input, has continued to be cordial. When members of the Quality Growth Alliance, which has opposed quick approval of the project, spoke, they sounded almost resigned to its approval, focusing instead of improving the process for future developments. Public input has been mixed, with a number speaking for and against The Vistas at Presidio. Continue Reading

Frietze accuses Miyagishima of filibustering

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Las Cruces City Councilor Jose Frietze just accused Councilor Ken Miyagishima of trying to filibuster a vote on The Vistas at Presidio. Miyagishima has been asking tough questions of city staffers all night. Frietze interrupted when Miyagishima was asking about roads in the development, saying he felt he needed to “take a stand here.” “I feel that there’s some kind of attempt here to keep it from a vote,” he said, urging Mayor Bill Mattiace to move the meeting along. There was a testy exchange between Miyagishima and Frietze before Mattiace said he agreed. “I think you’re trying to filibuster this,” Frietze told Miyagishima before Mattiace asked a city staffer to continue with his presentation. Continue Reading